Improvement in fire-escapes



W. C. PHILLIPS. Fire-Escape.

No, 202,460.. Patented April16,1878,

Jay. .2

WITNESSES ATTIIBNEYS.

" N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEH, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIQE.

WILLIAM c. PHILLIPS, OF NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO HIMSELF,CHARLES M. TUCKER, AND CHARLES E. REMSEN, or SAME PLACE.

lM PROVEM E NT IN Fl RE-ESCAPES.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,460, dated April16, 1878 application filed October 6, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I. WILLIAM OHEsTE PHILLIPS,of Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, haveinvented anew and useful Improvement in Stair Fire-Escapes, of which thefollowing is a specification:

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved device arranged for use; Fig. 2,a front view of the lower part of the same arranged as a straightladder; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the same, taken throughthe line 00 .90, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved portable deviceto enable people to be rescued from burning buildings, and which shallbe so constructed that it maybe conveniently handled.

The invention consists in the combination, with each other, of the threehinged sections, the two sets of bolts, the three sets of cords, and thehook-braces, to adapt the device for use, as set forth; and in thecombination, with each other, of the two hinged sections, the two setsof bolts, the two sets of cords, the hookbraces, the forked feet, thehooks, and the hinged arms, to adapt the device for use in connectionwith a lower supporting part, as hereinafter described and set forth.

The fire-escape is made in one, two, or more.

parts. The lower part is made in three sections, A B G, each of which isformed by attaching rounds to side bars in the manner of an ordinaryladder.

The lower ends of the side bars of the section B are hinged to the innersides ofthe side bars of the base-section A, near their upper ends, byeyes or other convenient hinges, and the upper ends of the side bars ofthe section B are connected with the side bars of the smaller uppersection 0, near their lower ends, by eyes and links or other convenienthinges.

D are long bolts, which slide in keepers attached to the outer sides ofthe side bars of the section A. The upper ends ofthe bolts D are madewith an offset, to bring them into proper position to enter eyes orkeepers d attached to the side bars of the middle section B, to lock thesections A B in place when arranged as a straight ladder, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. The lower parts of the bolts D have handles formed uponthem, and their lower ends are bent inward to enter holes in the sidesof the side bars of the section A, to lock the said bolts in eitherposition.

E are bolts, which slide in keepers attached to the rear edges of theupper parts of the side bars of the section B. The upper ends of thebolts E are made with an offset, to pass around the lower round of thesection 0 and lock the sections B (l in place when arranged as astraight ladder. The upper ends of the bolts E are made pointed, to takehold of a windowsill or wall when pressed against it, and prevent thesection B from slipping. To each of ihe} bolts E are attached the endsof two cords,

The cords F pass around. the upper round of the section B, and passthrough guide-eyes attached to the forward edges of the side bars of thesections B A, so that the said bolts E may be drawn forward by pullingupon the said cords F.

The cords G pass through guide-eyes attached to the rear edges of theside bars of the sections B A, so that by pulling upon the said cords Gthe bolts E may be drawn back.

In using the part A B 0 it is arranged as a straight ladder, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, is raised against the building, and the end of section 0is thrust through a window. The lower end of the section A is then movedinward un-' til said section is in a vertical position, or nearly so,and the brace-hooks H, pivoted to the side bars of the section A, arehooked into eyes attached to the side bars of the section B, lockingsaid sections A B in place. The cords I, attached to the side bars ofthe section 0, and passing through guide-eyes attached to the upper endsand forward edges of the side bars of the section A, are drawn upon,which brings the section 0 into a vertical position against the innerside of the windowframe, as shown in Fig. 1, and the cords F are drawnupon, drawing the bolts E against the window-sill. The cords I F arethen secured to belaying cleats or other fastenings attached to the sidebars of the section A, and the device is ready for use for the firemento enter the room, or for those within the room to escape.

The middle part of one or more of the rounds of the section 0 may be cutaway, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to enable persons to pass in and out ofthe window more readily. A board, J, provided with cross=cleats upon itsupper side, may be placed upon the section B, and secured in place by abutton, K, pivoted to it, and turned across the rounds of the saidsection B, as shown in Fig. 3, or other convenient fastenings, so thatpersons may pass along the said section more readily.

When access is to be had to the story above? that with which the lowerpart A B O is connected-the upper part is used, which is made similar tothe two lower sections of the lower part, except that the lower ends ofthe side bars of the lower section A have forked feet L attached tothem, to rest upon the lower round of the section B. The upper ends ofthe side bars of the upper section B have hooks M attached to them tohook upon the window-sill, and the cords F pass through eyes in the armsN before passing through the guide-eyes of the side bars of the sectionA. The arms N are hinged, so that they may drop down out of the way whenthe cords F are slack, and may be raised by tightening the said cords.

Any desired number of parts may be used,

according to the height of, the building, the

section B of each upper part being made shorter than the correspondingsection of the part below it. Each upper part is raised and arrangedfrom the part below it.

With this construction the device can be raised and arranged veryquickly, and forms. a convenient means for obtaining access to orescaping from the upper stories of a burning building.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent .1. The combination, with each other, of the hingedsections A B O, the bolts D E, the cords F G I, and the hook-braces H,substantially as herein shown and described, to adapt it for use, as setforth.

2. The combination, with each other, of the hinged sections A B, thebolts D E, the cords F G, the hook-braces H, the forked feet L, thehooks M, and the hinged arms N, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, to adapt the device for use in connection with a lowersupporting part, as set forth.

WILLIAM- o. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

JACOB M. LAYTON, HENRY VAN HOOSEAR.

